Bioaccumulation of trace metals in selected vegetable crops around tummalapalle uranium mine in Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to evaluate trace metals concentration in soils and vegetable crops growing in agricultural fields around Tummalapalle uranium mining area, Pulivendula, Kadapa Dist, Andhra Pradesh. For this study the cultivated crops such as Capsicum annuum (Green chilli), Solanum melongena (Brinjal), Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato), Abelmoschus esculentus and Arachis hypogea (Ground nut) were selected. Soil and plant samples were evaluated for trace elements by using (ICP-OES).As for the estimated data, the concentrations of trace metals in ground nut and vegetables are found in the range of 0.14-1.2 mg/kg for B, 46-58.12 mg/kg for Ca, 0.49-3 mg/kg for Cu, 40.6-69.36 mg/kg for Fe, 76.84-91.72 mg/kg for K, 12.64-25.28 mg/kg for Mg, 0.51-2.1 mg/kg for Mn, 0.16-2.56 mg/kg for Mo, 20.85-25.2 mg/kg for P, 0.34-0.8 mg/kg for Zn, 0.3-0.64 mg/kg for Pb and 0.01-0.02 mg/kg for Se. (BAF) Bioaccumulation Factor (TF) Translocation Factor and (BAC) Bioaccumulation Coefficient, remained considered for the evaluation of movement of trace elements from soil to shoot, root to shoot and soil to entire plant. Solanum melongena (B, Zn) and Solanum lycopersicum (Mn, Mo) plants showed high TF values from roots to the shoots. These plants are appropriate for phytoextraction. The BAF data shows that all considered plants were excluders (< 1) and good accumulators (1-10) for all metals except Mo. But whereas BAC reveals that, all studied plants can be considered as hyper accumulators (> 10) for Mo, P and Zn.